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Safe outdoor pools: Crime is falling – but dangerous attacks remain!
There was a sexual assault in the Asperg outdoor swimming pool. Despite the decrease in crimes in bathing establishments, the security situation remains worrying.
Safe outdoor pools: Crime is falling – but dangerous attacks remain!
A worrying development is being reported in the outdoor swimming pools in Baden-Württemberg. While the total number of crimes in these public facilities fell by 17.7 percent to 909 cases in 2024, incidents such as insults, threats and sexual assaults continued to strain public safety. An example of this is the case of a 27-year-old who molested two 14-year-old girls at an outdoor pool in Besigheim, while another incident at the Asperg outdoor pool shows a 25-year-old who masturbated in front of three boys. In Eltlingen, too, an eight-year-old boy was touched by an unknown person in the river channel. Although the number of sexual assaults in these facilities may have decreased, the situation remains tense, particularly due to aggressive behavior by visitors, many of whom do not have a German passport, as stern.de reports.
Statistics from the Ministry of the Interior show that in 2024, cases of sexual violence in swimming pools in Baden-Württemberg fell from 187 to 171, a decrease of 8.6 percent. However, the inhibition threshold for violence and aggression remains lower. According to Necdet Mantar from ARGE, there has been an increase in the willingness to use violence among visitors.
Comparison with other federal states
While the numbers in Baden-Württemberg show a decline, developments in other federal states are alarming. The situation in Bavaria is different: in 2024, 227 cases of sexual assault were registered there, which corresponds to an increase compared to 193 cases in 2023. These attacks include sexual harassment and abuse in outdoor pools and beaches. Almost all of the perpetrators in these cases are men, and the proportion of non-German suspects is also high. In 2024, 159 of the 163 suspects were identified as male, with 97 suspects without a German passport, as tag24.de reported.
The differences between the federal states are significant. In Bavaria, an increase in male suspects was found in both 2023 and 2024, while in Baden-Württemberg the number of suspects fell by almost 9 percent overall. But while the overall numbers appear favorable according to the statistics for Baden-Württemberg, the reality in swimming pools remains complex and challenging.
Security measures and outlook
In order to counteract violence and increasing aggressive behavior, additional security measures have been introduced in many outdoor pools since the summer of 2023. These include an ID requirement, bag checks and video surveillance. Such measures are not only intended to increase the safety of bathers, but also to ensure that families can feel comfortable again in these leisure facilities.
The situation continues to be closely monitored, with outdoor pool managers having to engage in ongoing dialogue with security forces and the public to restore confidence in these important leisure venues.